252 TEXAS AND ARIZONA 



to be the earlier breeder. I found a nest ■with 

 eggs on the first day of March ; and on the ninth, 

 I came upon a brood of young birds already out 

 of the nest. They were still new to the world, 

 acting as if they found it a strange, unintelligible 

 place ; but they were fully fledged, and when put 

 to it, flew from one choUa to another without dif- 

 ficulty. Stfll, they had more faith in cactus 

 thorns than in wing-power, and allowed me al- 

 most to lay hands on them before taking flight. 



The two desert-inhabiting thrashers, by the by, 

 Palmer's and Bendire's, are so much alike (the 

 Palmer being somewhat longer and darker than 

 its neighbor), that it was some time before I felt 

 sure of myself in discriminating between them. 

 As to the question of comparative length (one of 

 the most uncertain points on which an observer 

 can base a determination), I fell back upon an 

 old method, which it seems worth while to men- 

 tion here, because I have never seen it referred 

 to in print. It has served one man well, and may 

 do as much for another. 



Two of our Eastern birds that are most trouble- 

 some to beginners in ornithology are the downy 

 and the hairy woodpecker, the only difference 

 between them — the only one that can ordinarily 

 be seen in the field, I mean to say — being one 

 of size. Well, I long ago discovered for myself 



